Fruit treating machine



0V. 7, 1939. 1 l FA STEBLER 2,179,474

FRUIT TREATING MACHINE A TTO Nov. 7, H939. F. STEBLER FRUIT TREATING MACHINE Filed June l, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. '7, 1939 ZYQAM FRUT TREATING MACHINE Fred Stebler, Riverside, Calif., assigner to Food Machinery Corporation, San dose, Calif., a co1- poration of Delaware This invention relates to fruit treating machines of the type employed for cleaning, polishing, washing, drying or otherwise treating fruit, and more especially to such machines as employ a series of 'transversely arranged treating rolls over which fruit is progressed during treatment thereof.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide an improved. machine of this character m which is operative to subject the fruit to gentle, uniform and effective treatment and in which mechanical means are employed for progressing and rotating the fruit with respect to the treating rolls.

l5 Another object of my invention is to provide progressing elements associated with the treating rolls which also operate to rotate the fruit to present all surfaces thereof to the treating rolls.

Further, and more specific objects of my invention will be apparent from the following `description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, reference therein being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a side elevation of a fruit brushing machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary pian View; Fig. l is a sectional view taken on the line lV-IV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 with certain parts in a different position.

Generally, the present invention contemplates 3 the provision of fruit progressing elements between adjacent treating rolls, which elements also operate to rotate the fruit transversely of the treating rolls during treatment thereof, so that the entire surface of the fruit is presented to the treating rolls.

The fruit treating machine illustrated comprises a pair of longitudinally extending frame members l supported. upon legs 2, and carrying as by brackets 3, a pair of side members t. 5 Mounted for rotation in parallel spaced relation between side members 0- are a series of transverse treating rolls 5 secured to and carried by shafts t passing through rails 4l and journaled in fixed bearings 'l secured to frame members l.

50 Rolls 5 are shown as cylindrical brushes of the type employed for polishing and cleaning fruit, but other forms of rolls may be employed, such as absorbent or metallic rolls used in other treating processes. Rolls are driven at a uniform .55 speed and in the same direction, and for this purpose are interconnected by means of pairs of sprockets S (Fig. 2), secured on the end of each shaft 6, and connected by chains 9 (Fig. 3). One set of sprockets 8 on adjacent shafts 6 (Figs. 1 and 3) are connected by chain l2 which also engages a suitable drive sprocket driven from electric motor il.

Means are provided to sequentially progress rows of fruit for successive treatment by rolls 5 and for simultaneously effecting rotation of the fruit with respect to rolls il to present the entire surface thereof for treatment. For this purpose, a transverse progressor element is mounted between each adjacent pair of rolls 5 for both vertical and lateral reciprocation. Each progressor element may comprise a base l5, having brush il suitably secured thereon. Base i3 has bracket portion it (Figs. 3 and 4) secured on shaft ill and forming a fruit receiving edge substantially aligned with brush il. Each shaft ll extends through side members Li and is supported for pivotal and sliding movements in bosses l5 of brackets 3.

As seen in Figs. 3 and Il, each progressor element, including brush member Il, substantially fills the space between adjacent rolls 5, except that the progresser element is shorter to provide for the endwise movement thereof parallel to the axis of rotation of an adjacent roll il. As seen in Fig. e, shaft Il is positioned adjacent the periphery of roll 5 to the rear of the progressor element, so that receiving edge i6 is closely adjacent thereto, and as the surface of rush Il inclines downwardly from edge IG, a valley is formed above forward edge it of the prcgressor element and the treating roll 5 ahead of the prcgressor element in the line of travei of the fruit. The ends of the valleys are closed by guard rails 23 (Figs. 2 and 3) extending longitudinally of the machine and having brackets 253 xed on shafts ill and spaced from bracket portions lli of the progresser element by spacers 3Q. Thus a row of fruit will be positioned between each treating roll 5 and the cooperating brush il until such time as the associated progressor element is reciprocated vertically by pivotal movement about the axis of shaft Hl to raise edge i8 to the position shown in Fig. 5 and move the row of fruit from one roll 5 into cooperation with the next roll 5.

In the embodiment shown, the vertical and transverse reciprocations of the progressor element are effected by the same means. Each base I 3 (Figs. 2 and 4) carries depending bracket I9, 55

having elongated socket 20 which receives ball end 2| of lever 22. Levers 22 for all the progressor elements are secured on shaft 23 which .eX-

tends longitudinally of the machine and is supported by suitable bearings on frame l. Shaft 23 (Figs. l and 2) carries adjacent one end thereof crank 2l which is connected by pitman 26 to crank 25 on shaft 24. Shaft 2d is driven in any convenient manner to effect periodic oscillation of shaft 23 through pitman 25. Oscillation of shaft 23 and arm 22 as seen in Fig. 2, causes both longitudinal and vertical reciprocation of brush I1. It is to be noted that brush l'l moves constantly transversely of the machine, so that fruit engaged therewith and with the associated treating roll 5, is rotated about axes other than the horizontal transverse axis of rotation thereof about which the fruit is rotated by the action of roll 5. Also brushes l1 are constantly moving in their vertical reciprooation, and at the time brushes H reach their uppermost position as shown in Fig. 5, the fruit is positioned as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 so that the associated treating roll 5 becomes effective to progress the fruit thereover onto receiving edge I6, as shown in full lines, from which position the fruit rolls into the next adjacent valley formed by a brush l1 and roll 5.

It will be seen also that each progressor i3 receives simultaneous similar actuation from shaft 23 so that the various rows of fruit in the machine are progressed simultaneously from treating roll to treating roll after they are fed over runway 3| (Fig. 1) until they are discharged over runway 32.

It is to be noted that the relative endwise or horizontal reciprocation between the treating rolls and the progressor elements serves to rotate the fruit about a plurality of their axes so that the entire surface of each fruit is presented to the treating rolls.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the invention can also be embodied in other forms, and, therefore, I desire the scope of my invention to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims:

1. In a fruit treating machine, a frame, a plurality of cylindrical treating rolls journalled for rotation on fixed axes disposed transversely of said frame, drive means for said rolls, and a progressor element reciprocatably and pivotally mounted between said rolls and having one edge thereof pivoted upon an aXis adjacent one roll and having the other edge thereof disposed for substantially vertical movement with respect to the succeeding roll, and means for moving said element axially of said latter roll and for effecting vertical movement of the said other edge of the progressor element.

2. In a fruit treating machine, a frame, a series of treating rolls arranged in parallel relation transversely of Said frame, means for driving said rolls to rotate in the same direction, a fruit progressor between each adjacent pair of rolls for progressing fruit from roll to roll transversely thereof, means mounting each said progressor for vertical oscillatory movement relative to an associated roll about an axis parallel to the roll,

said mounting means being slidably engaged with said frame to provide for relative endwise movement between said progressors and said rolls, and a pair of guard rails extending longitudinally of the machine and supported by said progressor mounting means at said axes to partake of the movement of said progressors laterally of the machine while confining the fruit being treated between the rails.

FRED SIEBLER. 

